Vending machine



Jan. 9, 1940.

l 1 1 i W B. W. FRY ET AL VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS BEN'TRMIN w. FRY. BY JOHN GOT'TFRIED.

Jan. 9, 1940. B. w. FRY El AL 2,186,861

VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS BENJAMIN w. FRY.

T HN GOTTFRIED.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 9, 1940 VENDING MACHINE Benjamin w. Fry and John Gottfried, St. Louis. Mo., assignors to National Slug Rejectors, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application September 28, 1937, Serial No. 166,037

9 Claims.

This invention relates to vending or dispensing machines and contemplates an improved and simplified mechanism for individually supporting a stack of articles to be dispensed and effecting the delivery of such articles one at a time while adequately supporting the articles remaining in the machine and, as an incident to the delivery of an article, moving a second article into delivery position. The invention further contemplates improved and simplified devices for locking and dispensing mechanism when the machine is empty, for receiving the individual support of each article as it is delivered, and for utilizing these supports to prevent access to and tampering with the interior mechanism.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the dispensing mechanism, the case or housing being removed.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of the mechanism.

. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing the machine in the operation of delivering an article. 7

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional detail illustrating the means for locking the dispensing mechanism when the machine is empty.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear elevation.

Fig. '7 is a perspective of an article supporting shelf or tray.

The body of the machine may be conveniently formed of two angle plates l0 and II secured in a spaced relation by suitable means such as yokes I2. The webs of plates l0 and form the side walls of a container which may be of considerable height and is adapted to receive, hold, and dispense articles in the manner to be described. The flanges l3 and I4 of the plates l0 and II respectively are secured together at suitable intervals by the yokes [2, there being a longitudinal slot l5 between the adjacent edges of the flanges. Substantially opposite the dispensing mechanism the slot I5 is widened into a slot I6 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The front of the article container is open and is provided with suitably spaced supports H for the article holding trays or shelves. These supports may conveniently be wires of suitable diameter, say about I6 gauge, passed through apertures in the side walls Ill and H, and bent off at each end to prevent their accidental removal. The supports I! are located adjacent the free edges ofthe side walls Ill and II and are of re atively small transverse dimensions. They are adapted to receive and support the ends of article carrying trays or shelves, identified generally by the numeral I8, and preferably of the configuration illustrated in Fig. 7.

Each tray l8 comprises a flat shelf portion I! having a free end 20 which is supported on the support l1. From the opposite end there pro- J'ects in the plane of the sheft I9 a T shaped head 2|. Depending from the same end is a spacing flange 22 which may comprise an aperture 23. Such trays may conveniently be formed from sheet stock by blanking out the aperture 23, leaving the T head 2| integral with the shelf l9 and thereafter bending the flange 22 downwardly to a position substantially at right angles to the shelf l9. The height of the flange 22 corresponds to the spacing of the supports I! so that in the machine each tray except the lowermost is supported in front by a support I1 and in the rear by the flange 22 resting upon the upper surface of the next tray below. The front edge of the lowermost tray is likewise held by a supporting wire I! and its rear end is held by a part of the dispensing mechanism as follows: 20

The T head of each tray projects through the slot l5 between the flanges l3 and I4, the yoke formation of the connectors 2 providing clearance for these heads. The trays may thus move freely downwardly but are held by the engagement of the T heads 2| with the flanges l3 and I4 against horizontal movement. The T head 2| of the lowermost tray is supported on the transversely extending arm 24 of an escapement member pivoted at to the plate Ill. The escapement member comprises a second transversely extending arm 26 the upper margin of which is spaced from the upper margin of arm 24 by an amount slightly less than the depth of the tray flanges 22 and the spacing of the heads 2| of successive trays as determined thereby. Ann 24 is below the pivot 25 while arm 26 is above the. pivot 25 and is located rearwardly from arm 24 by an amount such that in the normal position of the escapement member the T heads 2| clear the arm 26, passing between this arm and the flanges I3 and M. The T head 2| of the lowermost tray rests upon the arm 24, this arm being located somewhat below the support I! for the front end of the lowermost tray to facilitate the downward turning of the rear end of the tray incident to the dispensating operation. When the escapement member is rocked counter-clockwise (Fig. 1) about pivot 25, arm 26 swings beneath the head 2| of the second tray in the stack to temporarily support the entire stack of trays. Immediately thereafter, arm 24 is, by the same movement, withdrawn from beneath the head 2| of the lowermost tray permitting this tray to fall. The front end of the lowermost tray is at this time held by its support I! but the tray and the article thereon are free from all other articles and trays in the stack, the front end of each tray being held by its own support l'l. As the rear end of the lowermost tray drops, its T head go 2| passes out of the narrow slot I5 and into the slot II which is wide enough to clear the 1' head. The front end of the tray slides rearwardly oil! from the support l1 and its rear'end is caught by a supporting rod 21 extending transversely between the side walls l0 and II. The flange of the tray forms a hook which insures its engagement and support upon the rod 21. The tray thereon pivots upon the rod 21 until its front portion engages a second transverse rod 28 located-near the front of the machine and substantially below the rod 21. The article upon the tray thus held in a forwardly and downwardly inclined position is thereupon delivered from the front of the machine as shown in Fig. 3.

When the escapement member is restored to normal position, arm 28 is withdrawn from beneath the head 2| of the tray temporarily held thereon, and said head drops into contact with arm 24. the front ends of each of the superposed trays dropping the same distance since each is supported upon the next tray below by its flange 22. Each tray being held against a forward movement by the engagement of its T head 2| in slot IS, the tilting of the trays thus effected is suilicient to cause the rear end of each to clear its supporting wire ll. The downward motion of the rear end of each tray being stopped by the engagement of the T head 2| of the lowermost tray with arm 24, the trays pivot about their T heads, and the front end of each is engaged by the next supporting wire I! below the one from which it was displaced. There is thus provided an effective means for individually supporting a stack of articles and downwardly displacing the support of each article as the lowermost article and its support are removed.

As the machine is repeatedly operated the empty trays accumulate upon the supporting rods 21 and 28, from which they may be removed and replaced in the top of the machine as desired. To prevent their unauthorized removal a latch III is pivoted on a bracket 3|, secured to the side wall "I, and is urged inwardly through a slot 32 in the side wall by suitable means such as a spring 33 into position above the trays held on the rods 21 and 28. The latch is so located that if there are one or more empty trays on the supporting rods 21 and 28, they cannot be lifted an amount sufllcient to permit the flange 22 of the lowermost tray to clear the rod 21. Access to the interior of the container from the bottom (which is otherwise open) is thus prevented. Suitable means are provided for displacing the latch 30 to permit the removal of the trays when desired.- These means may conveniently comprise a rod or wire 34 supported for vertical movement on the side wall l0, urged upwardly by means such as a spring 35 and provided with a manipulative head 36. The lower end of 'wire 34 is adjacent the inner face of latch 30 and downward movement of the wire displaces the latch to clear the lateral margin of a tray or stack of trays on the supporting rods 21 and 28.

Any suitable mechanism may be provided for operating the escapement member in a manner heretofore described. The mechanism for this purpose illustrated in the drawings comprises a plate 31 (with which plate the arms 24 and 25 are integral) disposed outside and parallel to the side wall l0, and provided with outwardly turned ears 3! and 29 between which ears there is received an arm 40 projecting upwardly from a araaacr horizontal disposed bar 4| suitably held for rectilinear movement on the side wall II. Secured to the bar 4| is a full stroke ratchet plate 42 cooperating with a full stroke pawl 43 pivoted on the side wall l0 and controlled by a spring 44. Likewise secured to bar 3| is the shank 45 of an operating handle 45. It will be apparent that a full outward movementof the operating handle 46 rocks the escapement member counterclockwise (Fig. 1), causing the delivery of an article in the manner heretofore described, and that the restoration of operating handle 4! to normal position completes the repositioning of the remaining articles and trays, ready for a subsequent operation as likewise above described. Obviously, any of a variety of spring means may be provided for restoring the operating handle and parts moved thereby to normal position after their displacement by pulling the operating handle outwardly. For example, a bail comprising side arms 55 and connecting bar 56 may be pivoted in a bracket 59 secured to the side wall H or to a frame adapted to contain a number of units of the type herein described. To the bail may be attached one end of a spring 51, the opposite end of which is secured to a bracket 58. The bar 56 of the bail stands in front 0! the full stroke plates 42 of one or more dispensing units. The forward movement of the operating handle thus stresses the spring 51 and the spring restores the operating handle and parts moved thereby to normal position when the handle is released.

Means are provided for locking the dispensing mechanism against movement when the machine is empty. These means may conveniently comprise a latch for the bar 4| which is displaced to permit movement of this bar by the presence of a tray in article delivering position. The form of lock illustrated in the drawing comprises a latch 41 pivoted on a bracket 48 secured to the side wall l0 and urged inwardly through a slot 49 in the side wall by a suitable spring such as 50 into position to be engaged by a tray held on the bar 24 and the lowermost supporting wire I]. If there is no tray in this position the latch is moved inwardly by its spring 50 and when so moved its latching nose 5| engages in a notch 52 in the bar 4|, thereby locking the bar 4| and the entire dispensing mechanism against movement. It will be obvious that the invention is susceptible to embodiment in many forms other than the one selected and described herein by way of illustration, and the appended claims are to be construed as extending to all such equivalent forms and devices.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing machine comprising a plurality of article receiving trays each provided adjacent one end thereof with guide means and spacing means adjacent said guide means whereby each tray is supported from an adjacent tray, a container, counterpart guide means associated with said container, said first-named guide means and said counterpart guide means cooperating to permit vertical and pivotal movements of the trays while restraining horizontal movement thereof, individual supporting means for the opposite end of each of said trays associated with said container, article delivery means comprising a support for the pivot end of the tray in article delivering position, means for withdrawing said support thereby permitting vertical movement of the pivot ends of all of said trays and the displacement-of the opposite end of each of said trays from its support, means for stopping the vertical movement of the pivot ends of said trays when they have been displaced an amount substantially equal to their spacing, thereby effecting a pivotal movement of each of said trays to bring the opposite end thereof into engagement with the support adjacent the one from which it was displaced.

2. A dispensing machine comprising a container provided with a longitudinal slot, a plurality of trays adapted to be received in said container, each comprising a T shaped head adapted for engagement in said slot and a spacing flange adjacent said 1' shaped head by which one end of each tray exceptthe lowermost is supported from the next tray below, individual supporting means for the opposite ends of each of said trays associated with said container, means for supporting the T shaped head of the lowermost tray, means for withdrawing said support and restoring said support when the adjacent ends of each of said trays has moved by an amount equal to the spacing of the trays, the construction and arrangement being such that said downward movement withdraws the opposite end of each of said trays from its support and the interruption of the downward movement causes said opposite end of each of said trays to come to rest upon that support adjacent the one from which it was displaced,

3. A dispensing machine comprising a containw er provided with a longitudinal slot, a plurality of article receiving trays adapted for insertion in said container, each of said trays comprising a T shaped head adapted for engagement in said slot, means for supporting the end of each or said trays opposite the T head thereof, spacing means for supporting the T head end of each tray, except the lowermost tray, upon the tray immediately beneath it, article delivery means comprising a support for the T head end of the lowermost tray, and means for withdrawing said support and simultaneously providing a support for the T head of the next tray, a widened slot in said container adjacent said article delivery means through which slot said T head may pass permitting the lowermost tray to drop to an article delivered position, and means for receiving and supporting said tray in said article delivered position. I

4. A dispensing machine comprising a con er provided with a plurality of individual supports each adapted to receive and support one end of an article receiving tray, means associated with said container, and terminating adjacent the lowermost trayfor receiving and guiding the opposite end or each of said trays for vertical and pivotal movements, counterpart means associated with each or said trays for engagement by said guide means, spacing means asociated with each of said trays adjacent said counterpart means whereby the adjacent end of each of said trays except the lowermost is supported by the tray immediately beneath it, article delivery means, and means associated with said article delivery means for supporting the pivot end of the lowermost tray, means for withdrawing such support of the pivot end of the lowermost tray to permit said tray to pivot about its opposite end and become disengaged from said guide means, means simultaneously moving into position to support the pivot end of the next tray, and means for stopping the downward movement or the pivot end oi said disengaged trey aflording a pivot upon which-the tray rotates to a forwardly and downwardly inclined article delivered position.

5. A dispensing machine. comprising a container, means associated with said container for individually supporting a plurality of article receiving trays, means for displacing said trays one at a time to effect the delivery of the article thereon, means for receiving the trays from which articles have been delivered and a latch for preventing the removal of said trays from said receiving means.

6. A dispensing machine comprising a container, means associated with said container for individually supporting one end of each of a plurality of article receiving trays, a plurality of trays adapted to be thus supported, means associated with the opposite end of each of said trays whereby each tray except the lowermost is supported from the tray immediatelybeneath it, article delivery mechanism comprising an escapement member, said escapement member comprising an arm adapted to support one end of the lowermost tray and a second arm adapted to temporarily support one end of the adjacent tray, means for shifting said escapement member to withdraw said support for the lowermost tray and to render said temporary support effective, and means for restoring said escapement member to normal position.

7. A dispensing machine comprising a container, a plurality of article receiving trays adapted to be held in said container in superposed relation, relatively immovable supports mounted on said container adapted each to hold one end of each of said trays, a movable support mounted on the container for the opposite end of the lowermost tray, and means for supporting the opposite end of each of said trays except the lowermost from the tray immediately below it.

8. In an article dispensing machine, a container comprising side plates having flanges bent ofl therefrom, a plurality of yokes secured to and holding said flanges in spaced relation to form a longitudinal slot; a plurality of trays in said container, each tray comprising an article supporting shelf, a flange bent off from said shell for engagement with an adjacent tray, and a T head projecting from said shelf and through said container slot; spaced means on said container supporting the end of each tray opposite the T head thereof; article delivery means comprising a member normally supporting the T head or the lowermost tray, and means for temporarily engaging the head of the tray adjacent the lowermost and simultaneously withdrawing the support from the lowermost tray and permitting said tray to drop to article delivering position.

9. A dispensing device comprising a container, vertically spaced supporting means therein, a vertical stack of article-receiving trays, one edge of each tray being supported on one of said supporting means, means supporting the opposite edge ofeach tray upon the respective tray therebeneath, escapement means mounted in said dontainer at the bottom of said stack, said escapement means being movable between two positions, in one of which it supports the opposite edge of the lowermost tray, and in the other of which it releases the lowermost tray from the stack and temporarily supports the opposite edge of the next uppermost tray.

BENJAMIN W. FRY. JOHN cor-mam).- 

